Okay, so we are introduced to some new characters in this second installment in the Legends of Oblivian series: Mirhana, Brock's elf-born twin sister who looks more human than elf; Prince Landon, a man who seeks a chance to find his own way in the world and not be treated like the royal he is; Gillespie, Landon's right hand man who knows how important the prince is to his kingdom and doesn't want anything too horrible to happen to him; and Jeslyn, a mysterious woman who joins our crew after helping to stave off some very nasty enemies. This is actually just naming a few, not counting a Drow Queen, a pack of very fierce dragons, and a ton of undead. Whoo!! Sounds like a lot, huh? But actually it doesn't seem that way when you read the book. The story flows nicely enough that the characters never really seem to get jumbled up. They are all there for a purpose. Some for their own gain and some having to do with the prophecy mentioned in Cursed in Shadow.

Now I must say that I adored the character of Mirhana in this. I always love finding a character that is relatable, in a sense, to me. She is a very strong girl who has gone through quite a lot compared to her brother. At least if you consider his life and hers before he was turned into the Vaer. She has been a bit unlucky in love, sometimes by just time and other times by the undead changing them and her having to kill them herself. But, as they say, "It is better to have loved...", right? But it isn't until she meets Prince Landon, who obviously doesn't tell her he is a prince due to his whole thing about wanting to do for hisself, that she realizes all the others were minor players compared to him. And no matter what she does, she cannot shake the feeling that they are pretty much meant for each other.

Now besides all heart-to-heart, love stuff that goes on, we actually do have quite a bit of action. The characters, who initially start out on their own separate paths, meet up and head out on a journey together to end the Warloc's reign. Or at least the threat of his new reign through his protege, the mysterious Sorceress. No one knows who this chick is, but she is bound and determined to end at least one of their lives to keep the prophecy stating his demise at their hands from coming true. And boy does she have quite a few tricks up her sleeve. She will do anything to bring him back.

Now, while this book does see our heroes and heroines reach the Sorceress and attempt to stop her, I was a bit confused by the ending. Or should I say the outcome of the "battle" that ensues. I actually had to go back a few pages in the second to last chapter just to figure out what had happened. It just felt too abrupt. And along with that, I felt some of the scenes throughout the story were a bit rushed. Some of them felt like they could have been developed more, and by developing them more they could have added so much more to the story. This actually felt like it could have been two books instead of one with just a bit more detail both into their journey and in the last part of the book where they face the Sorceress. Because, I must admit, I actually kind of expected that final scene where they find the Sorceress and attempt to thwart her plans should have been it. And with a bit more detail, it could have been.

Growing up in Houston, Texas, Andrea has always enjoyed creating characters and stories. But it wasn't until she was in her late twenties that she started writing novels. 

What happened that ignited the writing flame in her fingers? Divorced, and disillusioned by love songs and stories, they exaggerate, she thought. Love and romance are not like that in the real world. Then she met her husband and realized, yes, love and romance are exactly like the songs and stories say. She is now a happy wife, and a mom to three kids (two boys and a girl).

Once she heard about a writer who never let her characters deviate from the script. If they did, she just killed them. How sad, she thought. For her one of the best parts of being a writer is letting the characters have a mind of their own and seeing where the story takes them. 

She loves this quote from Robert Frost, which sums up her opinion on allowing the characters their freedom: "No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader." ― Robert Frost

Currently, she has two novels published with Crimson Romance. The Garnet Dagger - a fantasy/ paranormal romance - and Viking Fire - historical romance with a touch of magic. She hopes you will enjoy the stories as much as she did writing them.

Andrea writes fantasy, paranormal and historical romance. When not writing or reading, one may find Andrea dancing in Zumba. 

She believes in the power of change and counting each moment as a blessing. But most importantly, she believes in love.

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For those of you who have read the first book in this series, The Garnet Dagger, this book is quite a wonderful little read.

Taking place after the destruction of the Warloc, Cursed in Shadow follows Celeste and Brock as they journey back to Brock's home of Tamlon to find the prophecies of the four, because of course defeating the Warloc can't be enough. Now they are going to have to deal with someone who is just a tad bit miffed by the Warloc's defeat. His protégé, his progeny. And boy is she going to make her first act against our hero and heroine a big one.

Of course, though, before this first act, we get to see the general reaction of the elves toward Celeste and Brock bringing her to Tamlon. You see, due to the fact that humans are basically forbidden to enter there, she makes quite a few enemies by basically doing nothing. Just the fact that she exists inside their land is reason enough. And Brock isn't fairing any better. He already had enemies before he brought her there, and now...well, this isn't really helping matters.

They won't be staying long, thankfully, as they need to find some important players to aid in ridding the land of the sickness and evil that is rotting its very core. One of which was long thought dead...Brock's very own long lost twin sister.

But before they leave, you know that big first act that I told you about? Well, the curtain is rising and Brock is going to get quite a surprise. A very revenge-filled surprise.

Things are getting quite juicy...

Growing up in Houston, Texas, Andrea has always enjoyed creating characters and stories. But it wasn't until she was in her late twenties that she started writing novels. 

What happened that ignited the writing flame in her fingers? Divorced, and disillusioned by love songs and stories, they exaggerate, she thought. Love and romance are not like that in the real world. Then she met her husband and realized, yes, love and romance are exactly like the songs and stories say. She is now a happy wife, and a mom to three kids (two boys and a girl).

Once she heard about a writer who never let her characters deviate from the script. If they did, she just killed them. How sad, she thought. For her one of the best parts of being a writer is letting the characters have a mind of their own and seeing where the story takes them. 

She loves this quote from Robert Frost, which sums up her opinion on allowing the characters their freedom: "No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader." ― Robert Frost

Currently, she has two novels published with Crimson Romance. The Garnet Dagger - a fantasy/ paranormal romance - and Viking Fire - historical romance with a touch of magic. She hopes you will enjoy the stories as much as she did writing them.

Andrea writes fantasy, paranormal and historical romance. When not writing or reading, one may find Andrea dancing in Zumba. 

She believes in the power of change and counting each moment as a blessing. But most importantly, she believes in love.

Links for Author:

I wasn't sure of what I was expecting when first deciding to read and review this novel. Maybe a memoir of sorts or a tale so much more ordinary. But this...it was absolutely exquisite in its telling. A shivery tale that was not intended but which thrilled me to my very core. Almost as much as the characters, or most of them anyway, in this book were by the poem "The Raven."

And speaking of "The Raven", I do not know a time when I have heard it mentioned so much. I mean, every other chapter or two someone was asking poor Mr. Poe to recite it. I literally sighed with frustration every time someone queried about it. I loved that, though, because it kind of emulates how things truly are. People find something that they adore, a poem or story, and then they work it to death.

Now on to the characters. Edgar Allan Poe is a subject that many are familiar with, but I have to say that I knew little about his wife or mistress. I just knew they existed in a sense as to have made him a bit of who he was as a person, just like everyone all of us will ever meet will influence us. I actually truly loved how Frances brought out this light in Poe. He seems so dark and brooding in the beginning that it felt as if he basically considered the world an annoyance. But when she came along, I have to say, he writing became considerably brighter, even if only in poems to her, he seemed, dare I say it, happy.

And his wife...WOW!!! Um...she was quite interesting. Seriously, though, I felt so many emotions toward her: fear, pity, fear...Okay, so maybe two words in all, but considering she was dying throughout all of this, she was a tough cookie. She was bound and determined to see Poe go with her in the end.

All around, I loved the characters in this. The main ones (Frances, Poe, Mrs. Poe) and the not-so-main. The obnoxious and the downright deplorable. The understanding and the not-so-understanding. Everyone brought something to the table. Right down to the kitten, Miss Poe. Each brings another level to the affair which forms between Poe and Frances.

Lynn Cullen is the author of The Creation of Eve, named one of the best fiction books of the year by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and Reign of Madness, nominated for the Townsend Prize for fiction. She is also the author of numerous award-winning children's books, including I Am Rembrandt's Daughter. An avid traveller and historian, she lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

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WHEW!! This book is hotter than the God Apollo himself, if I do say so. It contained some steamy scenes that must surely need a warning label. But besides that, it had some wonderfully written characters that had so much depth to them. Not just our two lovers, the main characters, Liam and Siobhan, but the rest of the characters had a pull to them that made me just want to know more about each and every one. More specifically...Siobhan's friend, Vicky.

Okay, so for those of you reading this review and considering whether or not to read the book, let me explain a little about Vicky. Everyone has that friend, you know, the one who is crude and rude and speaks their mind with no thought of what is actually coming out. Or maybe they know what they are saying, it is just a matter of not really caring what people might think because that is just who they are. The friend that you would love to death no matter what they did, because there is just something about them that makes your day. That is Vicky. She has got to be my most favouritest character in this ENTIRE book. Besides Liam and Siobhan themselves. She made me laugh so many times, even when things were getting a bit more serious near the end, and I could tell that she would do anything for Siobhan, even if it meant risking her own life.

Also, I have to say that I love any book that starts out with music. Being a musician myself I can appreciate the whole orchestral aspect to the story. I love the Liam and Siobhan initially kind of bond over their shared love for music, even if Siobhan would scoff at this comment. It just kind of makes them seem more right for each other.

I totally cannot wait for the second book in this series, because there is more in store. That totally gives me chills saying it...SECOND BOOK! Ah! I am kind of freaking out right now, because I cannot wait until the second book comes out!!!

In this novel, character Kali Jorgensen is definitely a force to be reckoned with. She is a hard-working woman who cracks the whip. So when a bunch of lawyers from the city decide to bring their client to a cattle-driving ranch for a little down time while things settle down regarding their current big case, they have no idea what they are in for. And neither does their client.

I still have chills from reading this book. *insert nervous chuckle here* I mean, the hairs on the back of my neck rose and my body stiffened every time the antagonist, Jeremy Connors, came into the picture. From the very beginning I just wanted to go through the book and punch him in the face, that is how bad my feelings toward him are. So I definitely commend the author on that.

And Kali...whew...she is definitely a firecracker. I mean, who blasts Michael Jackson at 5 in the morning? She does! She probably was one of my favourite characters in this book, mainly because she is so tough. This woman lost her husband and is still going strong...or at least that is what she portrays to the rest of the world. Behind all her toughness, though, occasionally you see this vulnerability that she saves for when she is alone. That makes her so amazingly likeable to me, because she doesn't play the victim. She just takes things day by day. And even though she does not know it, she truly just wants to be loved again. You see a loneliness about her. So I was glad to see her on the receiving end of the romance aspect of this story.

I really do love that this story hosts the topics that it does. Rape, misconduct, abusive actions...It also touches the topic of how someone's status in life can allow them to get away with things like this. And the people who defend them even when they know there is a semblance of truth to the charges against their clients. There is a morality to this story. You see it in the lead attorney of the Jeremy Connors case. He begins to question why he is even involved, and he also begins to question his morals. He truly is sickened by his client, but the promise of a promotion is kind of hard to turn down. However, he will find that there is a line he will not cross regarding how far he will go to keep his client out of trouble.

There is humor, there is pain, there is romance and horses, what more could a girl ask for?

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PIRATES!! ELVES!! KINGS!! OH MY!!

Okay, so if you haven't noticed by my very exclaimed sentence above there, I am freaking out over this book. It has been quite some time since I have read a novel with pirates in it. And to have this book contain some fantasy elements to it...well, I am definitely not opposed to that.

I really cannot explain what it is that interests me about pirate stories. Maybe it is the freedom of the open seas, or the smell of the salt air, but there is something there that just makes me want to pick up a pirate story and read it. Has been since I was very young. I just love the adventure. And this story was not short of that.

We are initially introduced to a young man named Barren, who has held a grudge against his brother William for the death of their father five years before. He wants revenge. So when opportunity seems to arise in the form of an engagement letter, Barren gets an idea. A final showdown between the two brothers...all over William's bride-to-be.

But that would actually depend on whether or not William is willing to risk life and limb for this girl. And according to her, that is not going to happen.

Larkin is a girl who has been raised to despise pirates and all they stand for, so it is not surprising to her when a bunch of pirates decides to capture her, something her father has tried to prevent, or so he says, since she was very young.

These two characters will clash in the beginning, but time will pass and people's true intentions will arise, causing them to band together to stop a great and terrible force from taking over and raising its ugly head once again after all these years.

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While this book, and all of the other books so far in the Fall series, can be read as a stand-alone novel, I actually do not recommend it. Because this book, this wonderful third book, in the series, explains how it all began, well, in a sense at least. Because technically to these stories there is truly no beginning or end, there is only a connection that each person and experience has with each other. A connection that intertwines and becomes a magnificent puzzle that without each separate piece would not exist.

When reading the first and second installments in this series, I found the writing to be phenomenal. It just had this quality about it that seemed to breathe such life into the characters. A special quality that forced me to keep reading. I just had to know what was going to happen next. And while this third installment had just that same quality, I felt the beginning to be a bit forced. It just for some reason felt, I'm not sure, like it was missing something or had been hurried in order to reach the heart of what the story was truly about. But once the heart of the story was finally reached, it felt like seeing an old friend. That hurriedness was gone, and the familiarity of the first two books was there once more.

As always, I absolutely loved the main characters of this story. Heather Higgins is a brash little firecracker, while Ammon Maharahi is a sickly man trying to save the future by changing the past. They will be connected in a way that the other characters in the other books in this series never were. And they will experience a grand journey that, again, the other characters probably could only ever dream of.

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